Fruit treating device



Sept. 9, 1941; M. EWALD FRUIT TREATING DEV-ICE Original Filed Oct. 6, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. MARK W4LZ7 Cox and moore ATTORNEYS Sept. 9, 1941. M. EWALD 2,255,049

FRUIT TREATING DEVICE I Original Filed Oct '6, 1952 v Sheets-Shqet 2 Sept. 9, 1941. M EWALD 2,255,049

FRUIT TREATING DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 6, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 IINVENTOR. MAR/f EWALD to! and moore ATTORNEYS Sept. 9, 1941. M IgWALD 2,255,049

FRUIT TREATING DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 6, 1952 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 firm I IN VENTOR.

MARK [W410 E01 and moore ATTORNEYS Sept. 9, 1941. M. EWALD FRUIT TREATING DEVICE '7 SheetsSheet 5 Original Filed Oct. 6, 1952 IN VENTOR.

m. wmm wA Wm d Mm AX pw Sept. 9, 1941.. M, EWALD 2,255,049

FRUIT TREATING DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 6, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 d79 x I 8w INVENTOR. MARK [WALD J2/a, BY

Cox and moore ATTORNEYS Sept. 9, 1941. M. EWALD FRUIT TREATING DEVICE Olfiginal Filed Oct. 6, 1932 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR. MARK EWALD Eox and moore ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 9, 1941 FRUIT TREATING DEVICE Mark Ewald, Olympia, Wash, assignor to Special Equipment Company, Portland, reg., a corporation of Oregon Original application 0 636,447. Divided an 1938, Serial No. 201,413

56 Claims.

This invention relates to a fruit treating apparatus, and this application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 636,447, filed October 6, 1932, for an improvement in Fruit treating apparatus. v 7

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a fruit treating apparatus adapted to hold a half fruit such as a half pear, half peach, and the like, so that a suitable cutting operation may be performed upon the half fruit while it is held; another object of my invention is to provide a fruit treating apparatus for treating half fruits and particularly for effective means for holding the half fruit during the peeling operation; to provide an improved means for holding a half fruit in a substantially cup-like fruit holder during the peeling operation and wherein means is provided for insuring a predetermined space between the path of travel of the peeling blade and the inner wall surface of the fruit holding cup; to provide a fruit holding cup adapted to close about a half fruit including means for tightly closing said cup about the fruit incident to the starting of the peeling blade beneath the fruit skin; to provide mechanism for yieldingly compressing the walls of the fruit cup about a half fruit and including means disposed for releasing such compressing action after a peeling blade has progressed a selected distance pursuant to slicing a portion of the peel from the fruit; to provide a mechanism for performing a cutting operation upon a half fruit while the fruit is held in a fruit holder, preferably a cupshaped fruit holder, wherein the fruit holder is formed of sections adapted to grip the surfaces of the fruit during at least a portion of the cutting operation and wherein auxiliary fruit holding means is brought into contact with a portion or portions of the cut, face of the fruit during the cutting operation and particularly when the cutting operation is a peeling operation and wherein means is provided for altering the gripping effect on the fruit during predetermined portions of the cutting action to facilitate the proper cutting of the fruit; to provide an improved inner wall structure for the fruit holding cup or fruit holder whereby when the cutting action is taking place on the fruit rigidly held within the walls of the fruit holding cup, means is provided for relieving the fruit displaced by the area of the cutting knife as it passes through the fruit; to provide a fruit holding device such as a fruit holding cup provided with means into which the peel is laterally forced during the peeling operation whereby the fruit displaced by the peeling knife is relieved; to provide a fruit cup or fruit container with suitably formed grooves, recesses or the like into which the peel is wedglngly forced during the peeling operation whereby to facilitate the passage of the peeling fruit is held during with the inner wall of ifurther movement of 'cut faceof the fruit ctober 6, 1932, serial No. d this application April 11,

Y but also to cause the peel to-wedge in the cup whereby to assist in retainingthe peel in the cup 50 that the peeled fruit knife through the fruit may be discharged from the cup, leaving the peel 1n the cup; to provide an improved mechanism for performing a cutting operation upon a half fruit in a multipart fruit cup or container wherein such a container or cup carrying the fruit therein is moved into cutting position opposite a cutting station and wherein cutting mechanism isbrought into position into contact with the fruit while the latter is held in the multi-part cup and wherein means is provided for automatically passing the fruit cutter through the fruit while the latter is so held and wherein means is provided for causing the half fruit to shift laterally in and relatively to the cup as a ,whole in order to insure the accurate peeling of the iruityto provide an improved type of fruit cup comprising a plurality of sections relatively movable and between which sections the half a peeling operation and wherein means is provided for first forcing the half fruit firmly against one wall portion of the fruit container during a portion of the'peeling action and wherein the fruit is then freeto move laterally in the cup and is forced against another wall portion of the cup during and by a subsequent portion of the travel of the; peeling knife and in a manner to insure an accurate peeling of a further portion of the half fruit; to provide a two-part fruit cupwherein the two sections thereof are mounted for relative movement and which fruit cup is adapted to receive a half fruit therein whereby to hold the fruit during a peeling operation and wherein the peeling knife sweeps throughout the fruit cup and wherein means is provided for forcing the half fruit snugly-against the inner wall of one section of the fruit cup upon a downward movement of the peeling blade therethrough and wherein means is provided for permitting the half fruit to shift relatively to the fruit cup into snug engagement the opposite section upon the peeling knife in'the fruit cup whereby constantly to maintain an ac- .curate path of travel of the peeling knife with respect to the peel of the to, provide a peeling mechanism of the foregoing fruit while inthe cup;

construction wherein a'pad or fruit contacting means is utilized for contacting the cut face of the fruit whereby to prevent the fruit fromturning angularlywithinthe'cupi during the peeling or cutting operation; .to provide a peeling mechanismiwherein a pad is utilized to contact'the 'to' hold the fruit 'from pivotal movement while at the same time permitting the fruit to slide laterally under themfiuenceilof the peelingknife;;to provide a plurality'ofadjustments for relatively positioning the for the turret;

variant sizes of fruit; to provide these and other" objects of invention as will beapparent from the following specification when-taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a fruit treating machine embodying fruit containers or holders of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of a fruit holder shown in open position and with a paring blade removed therefrom;

Fig. 3 is a similar view to-Fig. 2 withpa-ring instrumentalities in cooperative-position to the fruit holder;

Fig. 4 is an end view of a-fruit holder or cup after a paring blade has progressed partlyabout the inner wall thereof;

Fig. 5 is an endview of a fruit cup or holder and associated mechanism subsequent to the passing of the paring blade from and within the D;

Fig.6 is an inner side view ofa fruit holding cup taken along the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a-plan view of a'cup element shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a partial sectional viewof the device taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 1; I

Fig 9 is an enlarged sectional view show-ing the manner in which the peel is displaced into the relievingmeans formed on the inner walls of the fruit holder, the construction showing a specific embodiment of the genericinvention for, accomplishing this purpose; Fig. 10 is a side elevation of one type of ma chine embodying my invention takenfrom the right side thereof; Fig. 11 is a horizontal plan section of the machine showing the Geneva driving mechanism Fig. 12 is a side view mechanism; a v

Fig. 13 is aside view of thecam-and cam follower utilized in operating-certain-of the instrumentalities of the machineshereinafter more fully described;

Fi'g. 14 is a sectional view of a certain part of the peelingmechanism taken on line l4-l4 ofi Fig. 15

Fig. 15 is asectional view of the device illusof the Genev driving trating the peeling mechanism and-peeling p'ad and knock-out pad;

Fig. 16 is a horizontal plan section of the peeling. mechanism taken from above at the line iii-l6 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a sectional view of the device illus-' trating a cam mechanism for operating-certain of the parts; v

Fig. 18 is a sectional View of the peeling'mechanism illustrating the contour taken by the peeling blade when the latter is arranged for peeling pears, it being :understood that any desired type of peeling blade may be-utilized for peeling different types of fruitiand Fig. 19 is a fragmentary view: of thepeeling knife.

The various features of my'invention are capable of embodiment in any desired type of machine or apparatus for treating fruit whether the fruit be half peaches, half pears, or any other variety. However, I-haveillustrated for-purposes 0f convenience, my invention as applied to a machine of the general character shown in my Patent No. 2,161,807, it being understood, however, that the invention is not so restricted,

In order to facilitate the description of my invention, therefore, I shall describe it as applied to machines of such type, it being understood that the present invention is concerned with only certain'of the operations of a complete machine. This complete'machine is illustrated and. described in my prior application serially numbered'636,447, filed October 6, 1932, and entitled Fruittreatingapparatus, of which the present application is a division and wherein the claims are drawn to the various operations performed by that machine upon the fruit including stem bobbing, fruit splitting, fruit peeling and. coring operations all performedin syn'chronism';

The claims of the present application are confined to the features of construction of. the fruit holder, particularly the sectional fruit holder having relatively movablesectionszin combination and cooperation with theroperation of: a cutting. blade, and/or also in combination and cooperation withthe constructional'features of the auxiliary fruit holding mechanism or pad for contacting the cut face of the fruit, and. also the constructional features of the inner surfaces of the fruit holder, whereby to facilitate the peeling operation, specifically the grooved natureof the inner walls'of the fruit holder.

Inasmuch as the claims of'the present invention arelimited to the aspects of the invention above enumerated, I shall not describe the entire machine but shall describe only such parts thereof as contribute to the inventive features claimed in this present application. While in the present application I have disclosed the invention as applied forthe treatment of pears, the invention isadaptable, with certain changes, likewise for the treatment of peaches and other fruit, and therefore except in sofar as specific claims are concerned; particularly restrictingthe claim to the treatment of a pear, it is to beunderstood that the dis clcsure of the machine in connection ;with the treatment of pears is'purely illustrative.

The fruit treating machine, of which the present invention is a part, issupported upon a frame comprising four upright members In, H, l2 and I3. The upright members are disposed at the four corners of a rectangle and are suitably heldin arigid formation bycross members (not shown). Rising vertically within the frame com rising 'the four vertical uprights is a shaft Hi. Suitable bearings retain the shaft M in its vertical position in such amannerthat it may rotate therein. There is-a Geneva cam arrangement for imparting intermittent rotative motion to the verticalshaft M. This cam arrangement is shown in Figs. 11 and 13 of the "drawings. As viewed from above, the shaft. l4

isgiven'such motionas to causeit to rotate in 'an anti-clockwisedirection.

In Fig. 10 I have shown a drive-shaft 830, which has upon the extended end thereof a hand wheel Behind the hand wheel is keyed to the shaft 830 a slidable flangedcollar, not shown. Asdisclosed in my prior application Serial No. 636,447, and not shown specifically herein,- clutch means is provided including a friction disk engageable with a driving pulley for driving the shaft 830. This clutch mechanism is operated by the shaft 9H3, which is provided with a handle 920 on the upper end thereofl r a I Supported in the main frame .'of the machine between the uprights I0, II, I2 and I3 is a suitable bracket, see Fig. 12, for supporting the opposite ends of the main cam shaft I I30; Suitable gearing interconnects the shaft II 30 with the main drive shaft 830 and a face camplate I250, see Fig. 13, keyed to the main shaft II30 drives two cam follower plates I 2I0 and I220, shown in Figure 17, hereinafter to be described. The face cam plate I250 is keyed tothe shaft II30 and there is provided a cam follower I200 for cooperating with the cam plate I250. Within I the right face of the facecam plate I250 is an irregular, eccentric groove I 300, Fig. 13. A roller bearing I3I0 operates within the groove I 300 and is secured to the cam follower plate I260 by means of a pin I320. Within the cam follower plate I260 is a vertical slot I330 for the reception'of the shaft II30 to adapt the plate for reciprocation as it is propelled by the roller I3I0 within the groove I300. A bevel gear I340, Fig. 12, is secured to the cam shaft II30. Bevel gear I340 meshes with a second bevel gear I360. Gear I310 located above the pinion I300 meshes with an idler gear I 380 for driving a third gear I390. A shaft I400 carries the gears I360 and I310 at its lower end, while shaft I420 carries the gear I390. Resting on top of the I bearing 010 is a sleeve I4 which is free to turn independently of the shaft I420 and has keyed thereto for common rotation a star cam I440, see Fig. 11. This cam forms a part of an ordinary type of Geneva movement which cooperates with a Geneva cam plate I490 in the well known manner. The cam plate I490 is circular and is disposed-within a-horizontal plane common to that of the body of the star cam I440. A narrow flange I500 circumscribes the lower edge of the main body I5I0 of the cam to extend therefrom as a section thereof I520. I520 is a slot 1530 with its major dimensions arranged radially of the vertical axis within the shaft I400. The slot I530 slidably carries a .pin I540, which, in turn, carries a roller bearing I550 upon its upper end. A plate I500 is free to slide along the lower face of the cam section.l520 and has an aperture I510 for receiving the lowerend of the stem I540, which is threaded forthe recep- .tion of a bolt I51I for holding the plate I550 in place. Above the cam section I520 'is a sleeve I580 for measurably spacing therebetweenv the roller bearing I550.

Above the Geneva cam plate I400 is a stationary cam plate I590 which presents a groove I600 in its lower face and which groove is substantially the same width as is the roller I550 and which is for propelling the roller I550 axially of the Geneva cam I490 as the latter is rotated with the shaft I400. A bearing IOI0 within the cam plate I590 provides for free rotative movement of the shaft I400 therein, While a bar I520 held between the frame membersprevents rotation of the plate I590. The contour taken by the groove I600 for the greatest'portion thereof is of a radius generated about the axis I400. Between the points I540 and I650, however, see Fig. 11, the groove I500 is generated about a point more distant therefrom than the shaft I400. Upon the upper end of the shaft I400 is a sprocket wheel I600, Fig. 12, for driving a chain I610. The opposite and forward end of the chain I610 drives a sprocket I580 which is upon a vertical shaft I090. Intermediate the two sprockets I000 andl680 is an idler sprocket I100 Within the section see Fig. 1.

tion. In Fig. 12 is shown a Geneva cam arrangement for driving the sleeve I130 intermittently about a rod I140, which is held stationary within the bearing I of the frame. ,Keyed tothe sleeve I is a star cam I150, which forms one part of a Geneva movement, see Figs. 11 and 12. Keyed to the, shaft I090 is a counterpart Geneva cam plate I000.L I

- The jee d'iurret I By reference to Fig. 10, it will be noted that the top of the sleeve I130 is provided with a feed turret I000. The construction and operation of this feed turret is shown and claimed in my Patent No. 2,161,806, issued June 13,1939, on application Serial No. 621,857, filed July 11, 1932, certain subject matter of which is likewise disclosed and claimed 'in my pending application Serial No. 621,914, filed July 11, 1932.

Power for driving the feed turret i000 is received from the pulley 900 and the main drive shaft 030, which may be driven from any convenient source of power to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed from the right side of the machine. When it is.desired to connect the shaft 830 to the pulley 000 the operating shaft 0I0 is given a turn in a clockwise direction with reference to its handle bearing to operate the clutch, not shown, with the pulley 000 so that when the drive shaft 830 is set in motion through suitable gearing, not shown, the pinion I300 and the gear I310, as viewed from above, are rotated in a clockwise direction through the agency of the bevel gear I340; The shaft I400 and the the feed cups from one station to the next, where a feed cup will be permitted to remain until the following movement is imparted to the feed turret. I

Secured to the shaft I4 to rotate in ananticlockwise direction therewith is a flanged collar I 5 with a flange I 5 disposed in a horizontal plane. Longitudinal displacement of the collar I5 along the shaft I4 is precluded by a set screw I 1. Rest; ing upon the flange'IG is thebase I8 of a turret I9. Base ISand flange I5 are apertured for th'e reception of bolts 20' whereby thetwo members are held rigidly together. These bolts 20' are utilized for adjustably positioning the knife, hereinafter referred to, with respect. to the side of the stationary half of the fruit holder where the knife enters the fruit, as will be hereinafter set forth. This adjustment is made by loosening these bolts 20, then swinging the table or turret until the desired distance is obtained,,,and then reclamping the bolts.

Radiating from the base I8 are four spokes 2| separated by equal angles, three of which spokes are shown in Fig.1. Integral with the ends of the spokes 2|. is therim-2la of theturret I9. On either side of the extended ends of the spokes 2i and projecting from the rim 2Ia of the turret are lugs 22, preferably of rectangular cross section.

With reference to Fig.1, upon the, right face of the lugs 22 are. mounted thestems 26 of the fruit holding means, specifically fruit cups 24. Since there are two fruit cups disposed adjacent the ends of each of the spokesfZI, there are eight ent stations, the stations being located betweenZ each pair of theframe upright members. Station A is located between the upright members In and [3, station B between the upright'members l" and I I, station C between the members 1 land I2, and station D betweenthe members l2 and' I3; Manifestly the present invention is not restricted to the exact number of stations or the sequence thereof.

Fruit which has previously been split in the manner above described is placed in the fruit" cups 24 at stationA. Subsequent to the placing of the fruit therein at station A, a movement is imparted to the shaft I4 and hence the turret I9 to carry the cups from station A to station B. At station B a peeling mechanism to' be described later in this specification cooperates with the fruit cups 24to remove the peel from the halved fruit. After the peel has been" removed from the fruit, the next intermittent motion of'the turret l9 advances the cups tostation C where other instrumentalities (not shown) remove the core or pit from the fruit. Concurrent with the coring or pitting operation at station C, the fruit is carried from the cups and delivered to a suitableconveyor v,

or moving belt alongside of the machine. The cups from which the fruit has been'abducted are, by the succeeding movement of the turret I9, carried to the station D where other mechanism not claimed herein removes the fruit peel'from the A cup. Thereafter, the cups are removed to station A preparatory to having other fruit placed therein and the cycle reenacted.

Fruit holder of la plurality of relatively movableparts having opposed inner wall portions adapted to grip the curved surfacesof the fruit during at'least a portion of the operation of the cutting knifeupon the fruit and in addition the construction of the fruit holders enables them to cooperate with auxiliary fruit holding means, hereinafter termed a pad, which functions to. contact one or more portions ofthe cut face of the fruit/during the cuttingoperation to assist in holding the fruit fromturning about its axis in the fruit holder.

In addition the fruit holder is constructed of relatively shiftable sections to cooperate with a cuttingiinstrumentality which is adaptedto pass through the body of the fruit while it is so held. Specifically the cutting instrumentality. i'n the present instance comprises a peeling or paring knife adapted tosever the peel from the half fruit while it is held within the holder. The details of construction of the specific type of fruitholder are wellillustrated in Figs; 2 to 6 and9; As there shown, the fruit holder is composed of two substantially identical sections, one a stationary element 240. which embodies a cup wall 25 with a stem. Z'B'depending downwardly therefrom, cut-away section 2' I half-way down the stem providing a seat"for resting upon the boss 22"0f theturret l9; the extreme lower part 23. of the stem 26 carries a notch 28, see Fig. 6, for registeringwith an aperture 29=within the boss 22. A bolt Nico-contained by notch 28' and aperturer29"serves for securing the stem 25 to the boss. It is. the purpose of the notch 28 to facilitate theremoval and replacement of differentlsized fruit cups from and on the turret. Irrespective of the size of the fruit cups, the distance from vtheseat at 21 to the center line of the cup, which is also the center line of the axis about which the peeling knife swings remains the same so that whenacup is placedupona boss .22 the peelingknife 16- will reach to a selected distance from the bottom of the cup. Adjustment of the path of swing of the blades 16 relative to the walls of the fruit cups is had by moving the support for the'blades. Irrespective of the size of the fruit cups, the distance from the seat 21 to the center line or longitudinal axis of the cup and thecoincidentaxis of rotation of the knife 16 remains the same. In other words,- the plane of the cut face of the fruit to be peeled lies the same distancefromthe seat regardless of size, with the exception of small variation due to different diameters of the fruit within the size limits of the cup-being used.

- These center lines must coincide, otherwise the peeling knife could not pass the inner wall of the cup at a uniform distance from the wall during thepeeling out. To explainthis further, suppose that a cup-is used having aradius of one and one-fourth inches (1%?) at its-widest diameter and a peeling knife that swings with a radius three thirty-seconds of an inch less than the radius of the cup, as shown in Fig. 4. The center lines must coincide to gain the results as stated. Now, if a cup wasplaced in the machine with a radius of one and three-eighths inches (1%") with thecorresponding knife the center lines would remain the same distance from'the seat 21, but the bottom inner wall of the cup would'be one-eighth of an inch 0A3") closer to the seat 21. In'other words;the larger the-cup the closer the bottom will be to seat 21, and vice versa; but thedistance to the centerline is constant: Since in operation in a cannery machines must be changed frequency from one size to another, this arrangement makes for a set-up that keeps concentricity between the cup and the knife, no matter what the size, and also keeps the predetermined distance between the knife and the cup with no" further adjustment when a changeis made from one size to another.

In the right side of theJstem 26 is an enlarged portion 3lwhich is drilled for'the insertion of a stub shaft 32 or hinge pin thereinto. The center portion of the shaft 32 contains a deep groove 33, see Fig. 1, intowhich a set screw 3-1 may be inserted for maintaining the selected position of the shaft within the projection 3|. The movable element 35 of the cup, and which includes the cup wall'31, has depending therefrom two journal members 35a and 35 at the back and front side respectively, see Fig. 1. v

The members 35a and 36 are disposed at opposite sides of the enlarged portion 3| of the stem 25 and .the journals therein'receive opposite ends of the stub. shaft 32; The cup walls 31 of the element 35 are then capable of being moved toward and away'from the cup walls 25 by pivoting aboufthe journalscontaining the ends of the stub shaft 32. Projecting to the right from the journal35a is a short arm containing a threaded aperture 39. Within the aperture is an adjustment bolt 40.

The movable section of the cup is arranged so that when released from its closed position, as hereinafter set forth, it will automatically fall to an open position due to its loose fit upon the hinge pin or stub shaft 32, the weight of the cup being away from the center of the pin on that side.

Directly to the left of the center spoke and in the rim 2la of the turret, is 4| countersunk 'at 42 to communicate between the top and lower surface of the rim. The countersunk portion 42 is threaded to receive a bolt 43. .Resting upon the bolt 43 is an adjusting pin 44 which projects above the top of the rim 2| and registers with the head of the adjustment bolt 40. By screwing the bolt 43 upwardly into the recess 4!, the cup wall 31 will be pivoted about the shaft 32 to be brought closer to the wall 25. In this manner the cup 24 may be adjusted for adjusting the thickness of the peeling taken from the fruit. After the adjustment for the cup size has been made, the lock nut'43a is tightened against the rim 2la to maintain the adjustment.

For coacting with the adjustment screw 40 upon the cup 24 immediately to the right of the central spoke 2| in Fig. 1 is shown a modification of the cup adjustment. There is an car 45 projecting from the rim 2 la which contains a threaded aperture 46 and a bolt 41 to thread therein. Adjustment of the cup 24 as to size is usually had by manipulating the bolt 41.

Once the bolt 41 is set as desired, a lock nut 41a is tightened against the rim for holding the assembly fixed. 4

r In connection with the fruit holder, means is provided, specifically in the form. of grooves, recesses, spaces, or the like to provide relieving means or spaces into which the peeled portion of the fruit may be displaced outwardly of the peeling knife, that is to the outside of the path of movement of the knife, which materially assists in the peeling operation by preventing the ch ttering of the knife by eliminating the accumulation of excess peel or fruit body ahead of the knife in its path of travel and by preventing any tendency of the severed layer to move with the knife and by eliminating any tendency of the peeled sections of fruit to resist movement of the knife.

To this end the interior of the cup wall segments 25 and 3! have cast or otherwise formed therein grooves 46 and ribs 41 alternately arranged. The grooves 46 and ribs 41, if desired, may be machined into the structure of the cup walls instead'of being cast. In the present illustrated embodiment, which is preferably shown for handling pears, the interior of the cup wall segments 25 and 31 conforms to the shape of the general outline of a pear. The combined area of the grooves is preferably substantially equal to-the fruit displaced by the peeling knife passing through the fruit.

2 I, Fig. a recess A further description of the manner in which these grooves on recesses cooperate with the peeling knife will be hereinafter given.

Peeling mechanism The peeling mechanism which cooperates with t e cups 24 as they arrive at the peeling station is mounted upon a yoke 49, Fig. 1, which is adapted for reciprocation within a vertical plane just to the front of the frame upright members Ill and II. A top bar 50 and side bars 5|, along with a bottom bar, comprise the yoke 49. Bolted to each of the members I0 and II are angle bars bolts 53 so that a plate 56 may lie flatly upon the front surface of the flange.

For holding the plate 56 to the flange 58 are bolts 51. The plate 56 is broader than the thickness of the flange 55 so that the plate may project beyond the edge of the flange 55 and in opposed relationship to the flange 58 of the angle member 52. Thus a track is formed at opposite sides of the machine for the members 5| of the yoke 49 to slide within; A' cam arrangement, shown in Fig. .17, is operatively connected with the bottom of the yoke 49 for raising and lowering it in timed tent motion of the cup turret l9. 1

Ears 59 project forwardly from the cross member 50 of the yoke 49 and are apertured and threaded for the reception of bolts 60 for the engagement of a base 5!. Resting upon the base I is a bearing block 62 which is held in position by bolts 63. The bearing block 52 carries a shaft. 64 upon which a segmentalgear E5 is positioned so that the latter may rotate about the axis in the brackets 66 and the journal sectionfiS are bearings 69 and 15 for carrying shafts H. Intermediate the journal blocks 68 6B are recesses 12 for the accommodation of gears 73 which are keyed to the shafts H. .The shafts 1| are of equal radii fromthe shaft 64 so that the segmental gear 65 may commonly engage the gears 73.

There are placed uponthe shafts H adjacent to the. inner faces of the brackets 66 circular cams 14. To the extreme inner end of the shafts H are attached blocks 15 in a non-rotative manner and to which in turn are attached the ends of the blades 16 of the fruit cutting means, herein specifically. disclosed as 'a fruit peeling means.

The peeling knife is preferably constructed in with varying radii perpendicular to the axis of rotation A, and the centers of these radii coin-' cide with and fall upon the center line of the axis of rotation. In addition the face of the-outer sec-- tionof the blade is rounded adjacent the leading edge thereof so that the outer face converges 7 upon the in'nerface and forms a cutting edge that is relatively blunt. The cutting edge is substantially flush with the inner face. The bluntness of the angle between the inner face and the outer section of the blade may be varied within-a lim ited range. For instance, hard pears should be peeled with a knife in which the angle at the cutting edge is relatively thinner, while soft fruit sequence with the intermit-.

and the brackets requires the blunterknife. However, since variation in the angularity is impossible due to variation of hardness in a run of fruit, even in the same-boxof fruit,it-is essential that a happy medium of-bluntness'be arranged to take care of both hard and softfruit. Where the fruitis hard, the angle made by the blunt outside'grind tends to shear the knife into the fruit, thereby The peeling mechanism, which cooperates with the cups 24 as adapted for reciprocation within a vertical plane just to the front of the frame upright members In and I I. To the outer sides of the two upright members l0 and H, which are disposed in a common plane, are bolted angle pieces 5H3, see Fig. 16. Attached toflanges 5H of the angle pieces 5H and which project outwardly from the side of the machine, are flat side strips 512 adapted to be held in place by bolt 5 l 3. Countersunk sections 5M within the flanges 5!! provide aspace .for the heads of bolts which hold the angle pieces 5!!! in assembly with the upright pieces H and I2. A track is formed on the two upright members Hv and 12 by the angle pieces 5! and the guide strips or plates 5H2. Within said track there is disposed a slide or yoke 49 for vertical reciprocation. .Depending from the bottom of this yoke 59, see Fig. 15, is a bracket 5H0; integral therewith and presenting opposed, apertured lugs 513a and aslot 518a. Intermediate the two lugs 518a there projects an arm 526a of a cam follower plate 325a, see Fig. 17. A bolt 52% within the slot 5l9w holds the arm 525a in assembly with the bracket .5l1a. Adjustment of the height of the yoke 49 relative to the arm 520a may be accomplished by manipulating the set screws 52la. v X

Within the cam follower 325a is a vertically arranged slot522a for the reception of a main cam shaft H30 and to provide for-vertical movement of the cam follower. A roller bearing 32m coacts with a cam slot 323a for raisingv andlowering the cam follower 325a. and hence the yoke 49. As shown in Figure 16, projecting. to the left from the cross bar 49 at the top of the yoke thereof are two arms 524a and 525a. To the end of said arms is attached aframe525a. for hold-. ing the peeling mechanism. The cars 521a of the peeling mechanism are attached, to the, arms 52 laand 5250.. Between the left ends of two parallel bars 525a which form a part of the frame 526;; is a bearing block 535a. which serves as a journal for one end of a shaft 53m. Thev right end of the shaft 53 la is journalled within a bearing block 532a. Bolts 533a provide an anchorage for the bearingblccks 535a and 532a to the frame member.

Extending downwardly from the left end of the 1 frame 526a'are legs 534a to which are attached aperturecl arms 53551 by means of bolts 535a. The arms 535a, if desired, may be integral with the legs 534a. instead of being fabricated thereto.

Journalled within bearings 531a, and 5380. within the legs 536a and arms 535a, respectively, are short spindles 1|to whichthe ends of the peeling as will be more fully they arrive at the peeling station,. is mounted upon the yoke 49, Fig. 1, which is blade 15 are integrally attached through the agency of heads 15. Pinions 53% are feathered to a shaft 535a. A segmental gear 542a. is fastened to the left end of the shaft 531a by means of a set screw block 15, see Fig. 18 on each of the spindles 5 18a.

there will be. noted a cam 552a, each of which cams embodies a sharp shoulder 553a and an arcuate section'55 lafollowed by an inclination 555a and a long arcuate section 556a. The cams 552aare placed fixedly upon the spindles 54811, in a selected angular relation with respectto the peeling bladelfi.

At the top of each of the frame members Bl,

Fig. 15, is secured'a-Z-shaped bracket 5145 whichis held in place by means of bolts 5150. On top of each of-the brackets is a threaded aperture 5150 for the reception of a thumb screw 5110 having upon its lower end a flanged boss 5185 anda lock nut 51%. 'Associated with each of the Z- brackets and its respective-side frame member 5299 is a peeling pad mechanism shown in Fig. 15. Since each of these mechanisms is alike, the description'will be directedparti-cularly tothe one shown in Fig. 15. Centrally located in the frame members 5255' is-a vertical bearing 5800, which is perferably lined'with a bushing saw. Reciprocally held within the bushing 58) is a s1eeve-5820 having a channel 583i! extending upwardly from the bottom thereof to continue into a bearing 5845, the channel and bearing adjoin-- ing' at a shoulder 5850. At the bottom of the sleeve 5820 is a head 5865 containing an inverted:

1 the movement of the peeling pad. Cotransgressing the peeling pad head 5890 and'the peeling-pad- 585i) is an aperture 595!) which is in alinement withthe channel 583%] in the sleeve 5829. The lower end of the aperture 5939 is countersunk at 5949 in the face of the peeling pad.

- Extending through the opening 5830 and 5930 to be'reciprocally contained within the bearing 5540' is a stem'5950 having on the lower end thereof aknockout pad 5960, which is of a thickness and diameter to set'within the countersunk section 5845. At the upper end ofthe stem 5950 are placed collars 5910 and 5989 to limit the downward movement of the stem as it is urged by a compression .spring- 5595, the latter pressing against the shoulder 5855 and a block 6550 which is secured to the stem by means of a pin E010.

Aboutthe sleeve 5825 at its top is a collar 6020 to rotate therewith and to commonly mesh with the two pinions539b. Figure 18 shows-the contour taken by the peeling blade manner in which it is attached On the right-hand endof shaft 64' is fastened 6040 is provided for holding the collar 6020" to the sleeve 5820. Between the collar 6020 and the flanged lug 5789 is a compression spring 6050 which constantly urges the sleeve 5820 downwardly to the limit provided by the collar 9020 abutting against the top of the bearing 5800. The knockout pad 5960 is always urged from the seat 5940 in the manner shown in Fig. 15. Thespring 5999 is much weaker than the spring 6050, so that the knockout pad 5960 may be forced upwardly into the seat 5940 moving the peeling pad 5900 pressing the spring 6050. 5820 in the bearing 5800 is face 6939 of the collar 9020 5740.

Mechanism for operating the hinged section of the fruit cup Secured to the bottoms of the brackets 66 by means of bolts 77 are brackets 78 in which there are threaded apertures 79, see Fig. 8. Bolts 80 are threaded into the apertures 79 from the back sides of the brackets 78 and have journalled onto shanks thereof sleeves 8 I. Projecting to the right from the sleeves 9! are fingers 82 with matches 83 formed within the lowerextended part there of.

Long curved fingers 84 are integral to the sleeves 8| and extend downwardly and to the left from the said sleeves. There are arms 85 extending upwardly from being apertured at 89 to of a bolt 87. Mounted upon the bolts 87 in a manner free to rotate are rollers 83. Rollers 88 are measurably positioned along the sleeves BI so that they are in registry with the cams 74 upon the shafts H.

Contraction springs 89 are anchored at an end to the cross member 59 by standard means 90. l he lower end of the springs 99 carry aho-ok 9! for engaging the arms 92 by one of the notches 83. It is in this manner that the sleeves 8| are urged to turn in a counter-clockwise direction as limited by the rollers 89 coming in contact with the circular cams 74.

Arms 84 are positioned upon the sleeves 8! so that they extend downwardly in a vertical plane common to the rollers 92. Bolts 93, upon which the rollers 92 are free to revolve, secure said rollers to the lower extremity of the arms 94 projecting downwardly from the front side member 39 of the movable element of the fruit cups 24.

Normally the yoke 49 is in the upper position as shown in Fig. 1 and with the fingers 84 and upwardly by comagainst the Z -bracket the springs 84a raised or lifted above the rollers 92 of the fruit cups. The segmental gear 95 may be slightly further in the counter-clockwise direction than it is shown in Fig. 1. An arm 95 extending from the hub of the segmental gear 65 is connected to a linkage 563, Fig. 10, for the operation of said segmental gear. This linkage is of a flexible nature and will operate the segmental gear whether the yoke be at the upward limit of its movement or at the lower limit.

When a pair of fruit cups 24, each carrying a half fruit therein with its cut face uppermost, have been moved into position at station 3, the mechanism for lowering the yoke 49 operates. As the yoke 49 is carried downwardly the springs 840: are carried against the left side of the rollers 92 to pivot the movable cup elements about the shaft 32. Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, is caused to traverse a portion of the spring 84a and the finger 84 which is inclined upwardly to the night.

without first Turning of the sleeve 1 prevented by the fiat the sleeves 8!, the arms receive the threaded end' Thus the roller 92, with reference to p Springs 89 tend to -hold thevertical portions of the fingers 84 against displacement to the left so that the roller 92 will be yieldingly urged to the right and consequently the cup wall segment 37 will be urged to the left as the element is pivoted about the journal in the shaft 32. When the yoke 49 has reachedthe limit of its downward movement, the springs 89 through the agency of the fingers 82and 84 have closed the cup walls firmly about the fruit. The downward movement of the yoke 49 is so regulated that a peeling pad 96 will be pressed firmly upon the upwardly exposed flat surface of the fruit within the cup thereunder.

At this time the contour of the periphery of a cam 74 will be noted in detail. There is a short arcuate section 97 which is terminated upon one end by a sharp shoulder 98 and at the other end by an inclined section 99. A longer arcuate section I 09 is opposed to the section 97 and is terminated at its two extremities by the shoulder 98 and the incline 99. The camming section I09 is of greater radius than the section 97. Both the cams 74 and the blades 76 are disposed for commonly rotating with the shafts II.

when the peeling pad '96 lowers to contact with the upper exposed surface of the pear within the cup 24, the cam 74 is rotated to such a position that the roller 83 is adjacent to the shorter 'camming surface 97; Thus the full effect of the brought into play for closing spring 89 may be the'fruit cup 24.

Fig. 3 shows the relative positions of the peeling pad 95, a, cam 74, the'pe'eling blade 79 and a fruit cup 24 after the pad 99 has'been brought into position against the fruit and incident to the entrance 'of the .blade '75 into the fruit cup 24. 'The blade 76 is of such a profile with respect to therOtating axis thereof -that it will follow very closely tothe inner surfaceof the cup walls as it is rotated about its axis within the shaft H. by the arrow A shown in Fig. 2-and the sharpened edge 76a of the blade passes just beneath the inner surfaceof the fruit skin so that the latter is severed from the meat of the fruit.

' The moment the hinged 'cup is released from its closed position, it automatically falls by its own weight to open position. As the peeling knife moves downwardly through the fruit, and as it approaches the bottom part of the cup in its downward movement, the blunt angle of the peeling knife against 'the inner wall of the" hinged section, which is now swung to a position such that the inner 'wall portion thereof is concentric with the opposite face of the stationary cup section.

Vl hile the blade 79 is being moved downwardly through the fruit'adja-cen't to the wall to the left side of the fruit cup. it is important that theiruit be compressed tightly within the cup so that the blade will pass at a uniform distance fromthe fruit peel and it is also important that the fruit not be turned within the cup by the pressure of the blade. The walls 25 of the stationary cup form a tru axis of the-blade 79.

It will be noted, however, in Fig. 3, that whenever the right or shiftable cup element is carried into position adjacent to the left cup element, the inner side of the walls of this movable cup do not form a truly arcuate path about the rotating axis of the blade 76. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the wall forming the right section of the cup to make way for the blade when it comes to The blade rotates in the direction indicated functions to slide the fruit over are about the rotating traverse the peel next to that wall. Shortly before the blade it reaches the bottom of the cup, the inclined section 99 of the cam I4 reaches the roller 88 to displace said roller and thus rotate the sleeve 8| in a clockwise direction about its support in the bolts 89. In this manner, the finger 84 is removed from the roller 92 against the urge of the'contraction spring as is shown in Fig. l. When the cup walls 3'! are in the spread position as permitted by'the removal of the effect of the spring 89 by the cam 14, the inner surface of those walls forms a true are about the rotating axis of the blade 16. Then when the blade 16 passes over the walls 31 it will pass at a uniform distance beneath the skin of the fruit. The camming surface l!) of the cam 14 is of such extent that the finger 84 is displaced from the roller 92 all the while that the blade 16 is traversing the wall 31 as will be seen in Fig. 5 where the blade is shown after it has emerged from the cup. Unseating of the fruit from the cup 24 while the blade 16 is being moved up- Wardl'y at the right side thereof is prevented by the peeling pad. 95.

After the blades TS have traversed the interior of the cups 24, the upward movement of the yoke is begun so as to lift the peeling mechanism from association with the cups. While the yoke is being moved upwardly, the springs 84a. pass from in contact with the rollers 92 to entirely remove the effect of the springs 89, so that the movable elements of the cups may be free to fall to the right by the pressure of the blunt nose of the blade, thereby opening the cups and leaving the fruit to lie loose therein.

Adjustment for various thicknesses of peel is had'by means of the screws 43 or 41 and adjustment of the pressure on the fruit according to whether the general run is firm or soft is had by means of the notches 83 within the fingers 82. When a slightly harder fruit is to be handled by the machine, the pressure of the shiftable fruit cup-section 24 will necessarily need to be adjusted. Soft fruit necessarily takes less pressure than hard fruit. This is done by turning the bolts 43 or 41 so that they will be advanced downwardly so that contact will not be had with the head of the bolt 40 so soon when the movable element of the cup is rotated in a clockwise direction, or in a direction to spread the cup elements.

The peeling cups are designed to accommodate fruit with a size variance of one-fourth of an inch that is, one size cup will take fruit from say two and one-half inches (2 in diameter to two and three-fourths inches (2%) and the next size will take fruit from two and three-fourths inches (2%) to three inches (3"), and so on. When using the three-inch cup, this cup normally opens to three inches (3") when set to take a peeling three thirty-seconds of an inch in thickness. In the fruit that comes to this cup there will be any size from two and three-fourths inches (2%") to three inches (3) When the fruit within this range is smaller than three inches (3") the movable half of the cup must push the fruit over to the stationary half and hold it there as the peeling knife starts its downward cut. This is the function of the mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5. The foregoing is accomplished by shifting the hooks SI of the springs 89 into different notches 83. More leverage through the fingers 82 is had by the springs 89 when the hooks 9| are placed within the outermost notch 83.

In explanation of the adjustments '33 and also the adjustments 43 and 41, they deal onlywith the thickness of the peeling. Suppose that on the same three-inch cut it would be necessary to cut a standard three thirty-seconds of an inch (5%) peeling and the fruit happened to be rough and irregular and, therefore, -a great deal of peeling was left on; it would then become necessary to make adjustments to take off a-thicker peeling, but the range of'fruit size that would be peeled in this cup would remain the same. Under certain conditions exact concentricity between the ,knife and the cup varies slightly when it is found necessary to'thicken the peeling, say, at one side and not at the bottom or the other side of the fruit. In actual practice it is found that once the knife enters and leaves properly, the only adjustment that must be made is the thickness of the peel at the bottom of the cup.

The path of swing of the knife is constant about a definite axis when in the peeling position. Adjustment of. the inner cup wall with respect to the knife swing is accomplished from three different points: first, with respect to the side on the stationary half where the knife enters'the fruit, adjustment is made by loosening the clamp bolts 20, Fig. l, swinging the table until the desired distance is obtained, then 'reclamping the bolts; second, with respect to the bottom of the cup, adjustment is accomplished by raising or lowering the slide or yoke 49, there being stop screws 50' and 5| for accomplishing this adjustment, see Fig. 17; third, With respect to the hinged half of the cup, where the knife comes out, adjustment is accomplished by the screwsAll, Fig. 1, which allow the cup to swing open a specific amount to give the proper distance between'the inner wall of the cup and the knife at this point. With this arrangement the inner wall of the cup can be made concentric with the swing of the knife, or if the condition or the shape of the fruit is such that a deviation is necessary, a thicker peeling can be taken from the fruit at any one, two or three places as the case may be demand.

It will be appreciated that in the present apparatus as distinguished from certain of my prior constructions, the peeling mechanism is operated to move forwardly bodily toward the fruit cups instead of having the cups move bodily toward the peeling mechanism. The advantage to be gained in this construction is most important because in order to have the peeling blade most efficiently periorm'its task there must be a particularly close alinement of the peeling mechanism with the fruit holding cups. The slightest disalinement noticeably impairs the effectiveness of the manner in which the fruit is pared. When the peeling blade is not in proper registry with the fruit cup there is a tendency for the peel to become jammed between the blade and the walls of the cup, thereby causing the blade to enter a greater depth into the fruit. Furthermore, there is a tendency for the paring blade to become jammed when the material of the fruit collects therebetween and the wall of the fruit cup.

By providing means whereby the peeling mechanism is moved and not the cups, a more extensible bearing surface may be conveniently provided when reciprocably supporting the peeling mechanism since the yoke 25 may be provided with a bearing surface spread substantially over one entire side of the frame of the machine whereby insuring a construction in which an excessive amount of wear would have to occur in the machine before the bearing surfaces could be displaced to one another sufficiently to cause the peeling blade to become disalined relative to the cup and should such wear occur to the movable carriage for the peeling mechanism it is easily corrected by making a single adjustment.

By referring to Figs. 4 and 5 it will be seen by engaging the springs Be With the notches near the ends of the arms 82 greater leverage is had so that the walls of the fruit holding cups are made to grip the fruit more firmly. In so doing, thefruit is brought into closer contact with the wall of the cup whereby the peeling knife can be made to pass at a uniform distance from the periphery of the fruit. By making the cups with the movable wall element closable upon a complemental wall element, the device is capable of handling fruit of different sizes.

The movable wall element is adjusted to the path of the peeling knife while in open position and by manipulating the member 3| as hereinafter explained. The maximum size of fruit aocommodated by the device will be that which can readily be placed in the cups while they are in open position. When the larger fruit is being peeled there will be very little movement of the movable cup walls for the body of the fruit will resist the action of the springs. When peeling smaller fruit, the cup walls may approach their most compact relation at the beginning of the operation.

The edge of the fruit at which the knife first enters will be pressed against the stationary wall. Inasmuch as the wall is predeterminedly fixed with respect to the path of movement of the knife, the knife will pass through the body of the fruit at a selected distance from the fruit peel. As the knife approaches the bottom of the cup each arm and its spring is released from its complemental roller in the manner hereinbefore described so that the movable wall will be free to pivot and will fall to open position.

As the knives continue to advance the movable wall elements open the cups and clear the way for the knives for free passage alongside of the walls. The pressure of the peeling knife in its downward cut tends to force the fruit laterally against the now open movable cup section and the movable sections being thus shifted to a position concentric with the inner wall of the stationary cup, the fruit will be correspondingly and laterally shifted into close contact with the inner wall of the shifted position of the movable cup segment in which position the knife will travel in a predetermined path relative to'and concentric with the inner wall of the movable cup section in its shifted position.

It will thus be seen that the device is capable of efiiciently peeling a variety of sizes of fruit within definite limits and that due to the automatic relative movements of the cup sections the peeling knife will sever the peel from the fruit in an exact and predetermined manner. During the peeling operation it will be noted that the peeling pad 38 operates in a position somewhat as shown in Fig. 9, being resiliently pressed downwardly thereon by the yielding mounting of the pad. It will also be apparent that the peeling knife '15 sweeps through the inner wall sections of the cup exterior of the pad $5, passing through the space between the periphery of the pad 95 and the inner wall of the cup sections.

By the term pad as used in the specification and claims is meant that mechanism adapted to engage the cut face of the half fruit to accomplish the function of the element 96.

' provide areas upon No claim is made in the present application to the specific construction of the peeling knife as an article of manufacture, since such invention forms the subject matter claimed in my Patent No. 2,123,187, issued July 12, 1938. The process of making the peeling knife is claimed in myPatent No. 2,060,802, issued November 17, 1936.

The subject matter of the pad per se and the knock-out mechanism illustrated particularly in Fig. 14 is claimed specifically in my pending application Serial No. 625,851, filed July 29, 1932, entitled Fruit treating apparatus, except in so far as said subject matter enters into combination with the new construction Of the cup claimed in the present application and the blunt nose peeling knife.

One very important feature of the present invention is embodied in the grooves and ribs I 46 and I4! formed in the cup elements 25 and 31. The fruit when placed in the cup rests upon the ribs I47 and when it is compressed by the cup walls the sections of the peel over the grooves are pressed a short distance thereinto. In this manner the pressure upon the fruit peel is concentrated in certain predetermined area.

When a fruit is placed within a cup with smooth walls, the pressure is distributed over a greater surface area. The pressure is such that the paring knife forms a wedge without opportunity for expansion of the fruit cup. grooves in the cup walls there is opportunity for the material displaced by the knife to escape into the cup grooves thus aiding the passage of the knife to thereby assist in the peeling operation. With the pressure concentrated at well defined spaced sections of the peel, a clean slice by the blade is possible. Better friction between fruit peel and cup isalso obtained.

During the peeling operation there is a tendency for the several peel to bunch ahead of the knife and thus impair the cutting operation by distorting the knife. Such compacting of the fruit tends to disturb the regular path which the knife would otherwise take in respect to the adjacent near periphery of the cup. Chattering of the knife also may be produced by leaving an uneven surface upon the peeled product. Any irregular parts in the mass of fruit material mov ing ahead of the knife tends to cause an irregular path of travel of the latter through the fruit. These objections are wholly obviated by the use of the ribbed or otherwise recessed cup as shown because there is ample room within the spaces between the ribs of the cup for the thin layer of separated fruit peel to be displaced radially of the axis of rotation of the blade so that there is no tendency for the severed layer to move with the knife and the tendency of peeled-off sections of the fruit to resist movement of the knife is reduced inasmuch as the grooves between the ribs the fruit which are free from pressure and into which the severed material may be deflected in part by the increased pressure produced by'the knife over the support areas of fruit.

It is important that the interior of the cup be properly proportioned to fruit supporting surface upon the ribs and to space between the ribs so that there will be sufiicient room for displacement of the removed peripheral layer whether the interior is divided up into a great number of relatively narrow fruit supporting surfaces spaced closely or whether the interior consists of relatively wide support areas separated by correspondingly wide grooves.

In the drawings the fruit receptacle is shown as having grooves of slightly greater width than the area of support upon the ribs. The combined area of the grooves is preferably substantially equal to the fruit displaced by the peeling knife passing through the fruit.

The formation of ribs I41 shown is that preferred. Other formations, however, are conceivable. For instance, the grooves may be arranged slightly angular to the rotating path taken by the knife, or they may even be arranged at right angles to the position shown.

It will be noted that by providing the inner surfaces of the fruit cup with the peel relieving means, I permit the fruit peeling and a slight amount of the fruit meat sliced from the fruit therewith by the blade to escape from the front of the blade andthus prevent the blade from becoming jammed and prevent the peel from bunchign in front of the blade so that a clean slice through the fruit is made. To accomplish this purpose it is preferable that the grooves extend all the way along the walls of the cup, that is, along the bottom as Well as along the side walls and that they preferably be in parallelism to the sweep of the knife.

Unless there are spaced supporting areas for supporting the fruit while it is being peeled, there will be no space into which the fruit peel and the thin portion of the pulp of the fruit which is re- 7.

moved therewith can be displaced or squeezed to partially compensate for the bulk of the advancing knife. If the removed section of the fruit cannot escape to the sides of ribs there is a tendency for the peel and the thin layer of the pulp portion of the fruit to become compressed and accumulate ahead of the blade to move therewith. To have a compacted lump of fruit pulp and fruit peel moving ahead of the blade or creeping along with it may cause an irregular path for the knife about the treated body of pulp. It is possible for the blade to gather small sections of the fruit or peel to compress them between the blade and the wall of the cup and thereby cause the blade to chatter. Thus the operation of the peeling blade may be seriously impaired if no space is provided into which the separated portion of the fruit may escape in a direction away from the body of the fruit.

A 'fruit may be supported upon areas that take up no more than one-half of the periphery of the fruit, as shown. The number of ribs and grooves and their respective widths is not of so much importance, within certain limits, as the apportionment of the cup surface to ribs and grooves. That is, the fruit can be supported upon a plurality of narrow ribs spaced less distantly as Well as upon broader grooves spaced at a greater distance. The grooves, however, should be of adequate width to permit of possible deflection of a part of the removed portion of the fruit thereinto.

No claim is made herein to the process of peeling, which includes the utilization of the grooved portions of the cup broadly referred to as relieving means since such process claims form the subject matter claimed in my application Serial No. 750,152, filed October 26, 1934, entitled Process of peeling. The apparatus claims corresponding to the process claims of said application Serial No. 750,152, are included in the present application.

The action of the relieved portions of the cup is such that as the knife cuts through, the thicker portion of the knife which follows the cutting edge forces the flesh and peeling which is on the outside of the knife, outwardly into the grooves or relieved portions thereby creating room for the free passage of the knife. The grooves also give the fruit a better chance to settle down in the cup, that is, any small bump or irregularity on the fruit has a chance to go into one of the grooves or reliefs, while, if the cups were smooth, a small bump would hold it up away from the surface of the cup thereby causing more skips in peeling.

The preferred form of reliefs comprises the grooves running parallel to the sweep of the knife as they produce better results and are easier and cheaper to machine. Grooves or reliefs running parallel with the axis of the knife or checkerboard grooves, while practicable, do not produce as good results because such reliefs retard the side movement of the fruit when being peeled and also they make scavenging of the peel from the cups difficult because the peeling tends to ball up as the scavenging blade passes into the cup to remove the peel. The peeling knife would not strike these grooves because this can be controlled by the distance that the knife is set away from the inner wall of the cup. A spiral groove with the axis of the spiral running parallel or substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of the peeling knife is a practicable type of cup relief.

The width of the raised ribs must be wide enough and spaced close enough so that, when the peeling knife is creating a downward pressure on the fruit plus the pressure from the peeling pad, soft fruit will have supporting surface sufficient to keep the ribs from gouging into the fruit. And this is even more true where the coring assembly, used in connection with the present disclosed type of machine, comes down on the fruit. Here the rib supporting surface must be great enough to sustain the fruit without gouging. In general, rounded ribs would cut down the supporting surface to a point where gouging would take place.

The present application is filed as a continuation in part of my pending application Serial No, 63,019, filed February 8, 1936, entitled Fruit treating device, which in turn is a continuation of my prior filed application Serial No. 627,549,

' filed August 5, 1932, and designated Fruit holding cup.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is:

1. In a fruit treating machine, a fruit holding cup comprising walls having relatively wide, shallow grooves upon the fruit contacting face thereof, and a fruit paring blade disposed for sweeping within said cup adjacent said walls, said grooves traversing said walls in a direction substantially parallel to the course of movement of said blade.

2. In a pear treating device, a paring knife, a fruit holding cup having spaced apart peripheral sections extending in relief individually across the interior periphery thereof for supporting a fruit therein while said paring knife moves therethrough, said sections combinedly conforming to the surface of such fruit and the transverse dimensions of said sections being substantially equal to that of the spaces between said sections.

3. In combination, a fruit holding cup comprising peripheral segments, a knife traveling through said cup for peeling fruit therein, means for urging the segments toward'one another into eccentricity with the path of said-knife, and

means operating in synchronism with the movement of said knife for relatively oppositely shifting said segments and establishing substantial concentricity between said segments and the path of said knife during the peeling operation of said knife.

4. In combination, a cup comprising a stationary member, a member movable relative thereto in one direction, a second member movable relative thereto in another direction and substantially normal to the direction of movement of the first member, a knife, means for moving said knife into and out of said cup, means for moving both of said relatively movable mem bers toward said stationary member prior to said knife entering said cup, and means for changing the relative position of one of said relatively movable members when said knife has moved approximately half way through said cup.

5. A peeling device comprising a pad, quadrant members associated withsaid pad and normally providing a cup truly semicircular in cross sec-' tion, a knife in juxtaposition thereto having a path-of movement concentric of said cup, and means for changing the normal relation of said quadrant members from one of true semicircularity to one of eccentricity with the path of movement of said knife coincidentally with the entry of said knife into said cup and for thereafter restoring said quadrant members to true semicircularity and of normal concentricity with the path of said knife when said knife has passed approximately half way through said cup.

6. A peeling device comprising a pad, relatively movable members in juxtaposition thereto forming a cup normally semicircular in cross section to receive fruit to be held therein by said pad, a knife adapted to sweep through said cup in a truly half circular path, and power operated means for relativelymoving said cup members toward each other to form a cup of less than semicircular cross section for more firmly gripping the fruit between said members before movement of said knife into said cup and during the initial movement of said knife through said cup.

7. A peeling device comprising a pad, relatively movable-quadrant members in juxtaposition to said pad and operable normally to provide a cup truly semicircular in cross section, one of said members being stationary, a knife having a path of movement concentric of said cup in its normal position, and means for moving said movable member toward said fixed member for more firmly gripping fruit between said members prior to the entry of said knife into said cup and during the initial movement of said knife through said cup.

8. A peeling device comprising a pad, members in juxtaposition thereto and forming a cup normally semicircular in cross section to receive a half fruit to be held therein by said pad, one of said members being stationary and the other pivoted to the stationary member, a knife adapted to sweep through said cup in a truly arcuate path, and means for moving the pivoted member toward the stationary member for more firmly gripping fruit between said members prior to the movement of said knife into said cup and during the initial movement of the knife through said cup.

9. In a fruit treating machine, the combina- 1 1 path, means for moving said knife, a cupv for holding a fruit and comprising a stationary wall member and a movable wall member, each of said walls having a concave fruit engaging periphery of a contour similar to the path of said blade, the periphery of the stationary wall being concentric to a section of such path and the periphery of the movable wall section normally being concentric therewith but movable from such position of concentricity with another section of the path of said knife, such movement being toward the stationary wall section, means for moving said movable wall in synchronism with the movement of said knife to compress fruit in saidcup .against said stationary wall while the knife is passing through that portion of its path adjacent to the stationary wall, and means for causing said wall moving means to become inoperative while the knife is traversing that portion of its path that is adjacent to the movable wall.

10. A fruit peeling device comprising a pad to engage the plane surface of a half fruit, a knife tion of a peeling knife movable in an arcuate turning on an axis substantially within the plane of said pad and adapted to move away from, across and toward said pad in a half circular path, a stationary quadrant cup member adjacent to one-half of said pad, a movable quadrant cup member adjacent to the other half of said pad, and means for moving said movable quadrantsynchronously with the movement of said knife away from, across and toward said pad.

11. A fruit peeling device comprising a pad to engage the plane surface of a half fruit, a knife rotating through a cup in a fixed path and adapted to move away from, across and toward said pad in a half circular path, a stationary quadrant cup member adjacent to one-half of said pad, a movable quadrant cup member adjacent to the other half of said pad, and means for moving said movable quadrant toward said stationary quadrant member to more firmly grip fruit between said quadrant members and said pad when the direction of travel of the knife is away from said pad. 12. In combination, relatively movable cup segments, a pad, a knife rotatable through said cup in a fixed path, means for moving said pad into proximity with said segments, means for relatively moving said segments out of concentricity with one another before said knife enters said cup, means for rotating said knife into and out of said cup, and means for moving said segments relatively away from one another into concentricity one with the other and with the path of said knife before said knife has passed approximately half way through said cup. 13. A fruit cup for holding half pears during a peeling operation comprising articulated substantially elongated members forming a recess shaped to receive and conform to the curved contour of a half pear, said members being provided With spaced apart, registering relatively shallow grooves, all of said grooves lying transversely to the longitudinal axis of said members. 14. Ina fruit treating machine, the combination of means forming a fruit holding means having fruit supporting walls, said walls having spaced apart portions thereof forming curved for contactingly supporting the curved portions of the fruit during the peeling operation, fruit peeling means, means for moving the peeling means within said holding means and through the body of the fruit adjacent the peel, said wall portions sustaining the fruitfduring the peeling operation and the spaces between the spaced wall portions receiving therein portions of fruit and peelings during the peeling operation.

15. In a fruit peeling device the combination of means for confining a half fruit between relatively rigid surfaces, a peeling knife, means for passing the peeling knife through'the body of the fruit adjacent the peel While so confined, and means for causing displacement of spaced portions of the severed peel and a portion of the fruit severed therewith relatively to other portions of the severed peel.

16. In a fruit peeling apparatus the combination of means forming a recessed holder for confining therein a half fruit to be peeled, said means providing supporting surfaces against Which the curved fruit abuts during the peeling operation, a peeling knife, means for moving the peeling knife through the fruit adjacent the peel thereof to peel the same, and means causing movement of spaced portions of the peel and spaced portions of the fruit severed therewith in a direction outwardly of certain other portions of the peel. v

1'1. In a fruit peeling device the combination of means forming a fruit holder having relatively movable opposed wall portions adapted substantially to fit the curved outer periphery of a fruit, 2. peeling knife adapted to move through an armate path adjacent the inner wall of said holder to sever the peel from the fruit while confined in the holder, means for causing relative movement between said opposed fruit holder walls to provide a path for said knife at a predetermined distance from said walls, including means for relatively moving said opposed wall portions toward each other during the inward movement of said peeling knife into said. fruit while in said fruit holder and for moving said opposed wall portions relatively away from each other during the movement of the knife outwardly of the fruit.

18. An apparatus for peeling fruit comprising means for supporting a half fruit at spaced apart areas upon and substantially coextensive with its peel, means for severing a thin peripheral layer including the peel from such held fruit, said supporting means including relieved portions disposed between the spaced apart areas into which the severed peel is adapted to move during the peeling operation.

19. In a fruit peeling machine the combination of a peeling knife adapted to move in a predetermined path, a fruit holder having relatively movable sections each having arcuate internal walls adapted to receive and contactingly support the curved peripheral portion of a half fruit therebetween, means for moving said peeling knife through said fruit holder, means for moving said fruit holder sections relatively, and means for shiftably positioning the fruit relative to said sections and to the fixed path of travel of the peeling knife.

20. In a fruit treating device the combination of a support, a fruit holder mounted thereon and comprising a stationary and a movable section, each having internal walls conformed to support the curved surface of a half fruit and between which such half fruit is adapted to be held, cutting means adapted to be moved relatively to the fruit holder to position the cutting means to out into the fruit while held in the fruit holder, means for moving said cutting means in a fixed path, fruit contacting means adapted to contact the cut face of the fruit during the operation of the cutting means, and means for causing uccessive relative shifting movement between the sectionsof the fruit holder while the fruit is held therebetween and to cause shifting of the fruit in and relative to the fruit holder in opposed directions to position it for the cutting operation. 7

21. In a mac ine for peeling half fruit, the combination of half fruit sustaining means comprising relatively shiftable sections the inner curved walls'of which provide spaced apart portions upon which corresponding portions of the curved outer surfaces of the peel of the half fruit are adapted normally to abut, the wall portions of said sections between the spaced apart portions thereof being recessed, means adapted to contact and press the cut face of the fruit while the fruit is held between said sections, peeling means, and means for moving the peeling means through the fruit adjacent the peel while the half fruit is held between the sections and the pressing means, whereby to cause the peel and a portion of the severed body of the half fruit being displaced into said recessed portions during the peeling operation.

22. In a machine for peeling half fruit, the combination of half fruit sustaining means comprising relatively shiftable sections the inner curved Walls of which provide spaced apart porfruit are adapted normally tions upon which corresponding portions of the curved outer surfaces of the peel of the half to abut, the wall portions of said sections between the spaced apart portions thereof being recessed, means adapted to contact and press the cut face of the fruit while the fruit is held between said sections, peeling means, and means for moving the peeling means through the fruit adjacent the peel while the half fruit is held between the sections and the pressing means, whereby to permit the peel and a portion of the s-everedbody of the half fruit being displaced into said recessed portions during the peeling operation, and means for moving the fruit holder sections relatively during the movement of the peeling means .and while held between the sections and the pressing means, whereby to position the peel of the fruit relatively to the path of movement of the peeling means.

23. A fruit holding cup having its inner wall provided with spaced apart relieved portions forming spaced raised portions extending in parallelism from edge to edge at the mouth of the cup, said raised portions being fiat and concave in transverse section to conform to the shape of the area of the surface of the fruit to be supported thereby.

24. An apparatus for peeling half fruit comprising in combination means for confining from movement outwardly of the half fruit alternately disposed zones only of the peel to be severed, a peeling blade, means for passing the peeling blade through the fruit adjacent the peel or severing the peel therefrom, and means causing those portions of the peel between the alternately confined portions to shift radially outwardly of the confined portions during the peeling operation.

25. Fruit peeling means comprising means for holding a half fruit having stationary and movable Walls, each conformed internally to engage and support the curved surface of a half fruit, peeling means, means for moving the peeling means adjacent the inner face of said stationary wall and means for shifting the movable wall to position the half fruit against the stationary wall to be cut by movement of the peeling means.

26. A peeling device for half fruit including means for holding a half fruit providing opposed walls between which the curved surfaces of the half fruit are engaged and supported, and common means for shifting the half fruit laterally against one of said walls and for cutting through the flesh of the fruit while so positioned.

27. A device for treating half fruit including means for holding a half fruit, providing opposed walls between which the curved surfaces of the half fruit are engaged and supported, and cutting means for shifting the supported half fruit to cutting positions and for cutting the half fruit so positioned.

28. A device for treating half fruit including fruit holding means having a relatively movable walls adapted to engage and support the peel surface of a half fruit and to .be disposed concentric to and adjacent the path of movement of a peeling knife, a peeling knife, means to move the knife arcuately through a predetermined path of movement, said knife having its inner face curved transversely of its length so that the radius of curvature passes through the axis of rotation of the knife and having a portion of its outer face converging at a rather blunt angle to the plane of the inner face of the knife whereby as said knife is moving inwardly through the fruit as it approaches its innermost limit of travel, it shifts the half fruit laterally.

29. In a device of the class described, the combination of fruit holding means having spaced walls between which the peel surface of a half fruit is supported, a peeling knife having a cutting edge and a means for moving the knife through the holding means to cause the displacing portion to shift the half fruit laterally into peeling position and to cause the cutting edge to peel a portion of the half fruit so positioned.

30. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, a drive shaft thereon, a turret rotatable with said shaft, a fruit holder on said turret having a section stationarily mounted on said turret and having a section movable relatively to said stationarily mounted section. said sections 'being constructed to receive and support therebetween the curved surface of a half fruit with its cut face uppermost, fruit cutting means, means relatively to position the cutting means into contact with the cut face of the half fruit and to cause the cutting means to cut through the flesh of the half fruit, and means angularly to adjust the turret relatively to'the cutting means whereby adjustably and relatively to position the cutting means and inner wall of the stationary fruit holder.

31. In a device of the class described, the combination of an intermittently operable turret a fruit holder on said turret and adapted to move in a horizontal plane and having a stationary inner wall section adapted to contact the outer curved surface of a half fruit, a peeling head having an arcuately movable peeling knife shiftably mounted thereon, means for shifting the head toward the fruit holder to position the knife adjacent the stationary inner wall and for moving the knife across and adjacent the inner wall to peel the half fruit and means for adjusting the range of travel of the head to adjust the depth of cut of the knife.

32. In a device of the class described, the combination of a fruit holder having a stationary section, a section pivoted relatively thereto and adapted to move in reverse directions to eccentric fruit displacing portion and and concentric positions relatively to the stationary section, a peeling knife, means arcuately to move said knife across the inner face of the stationary section and across the face of the 'movable section when the latter isshifted to concentric position and means for adjusting the movement of the movable section in a direction away from the stationary section so that it will be more or less concentric.

33. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, a turret intermittently rotatable thereon, a plurality of spaced holders for holding a half fruit mounted on said turret, each comprising a stationary quarter of a holder and a quarter of a holder pivoted relatively thereto and adapted to holf a half fruit with its cut face uppermost, a peeling head shiftable toward and from the successive fruit holders, a peeling blade on the head and adapted to be positioned arcuately to move through each holder to peel the half fruit disposed therein, and means for adjustably positioning the blade relative to its position of entry into the half fruit, means for adjustably determining the depth of cut at the, bottom of the half fruit and for adjustably determining the thickness of peel cut at the exit of the blade from the fruit holder.

34. In a device of the class described, the com bination of a turret adapted intermittently to turn in a fixed horizontal plane, spaced cup supports or lugs thereon, a cup section rigidly mounted on each lug, a second cup section pivoted to said first cup section and having a depending leg carrying a friction roller and having a laterally extending arm, adjusting means engaging said arm and the turret, a peeling head mounted vertically to reciprocate to and from each cup when said cups are brought into position by movement of said turret, a peeling blade swingably mounted on said head, cam means moving in synchronism with said blade, lever means pivoted on said head and including a first arm cooperating with and shifted by said cam means, a second arm adapted to contact the friction roller of said second cup section, a third arm and spring means adjustably engaging said third arm. a

35. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, a fruit holder having inner.

wall portions engaging the [curved surface of a half fruit for holding it with its cut face exposed, cutting means adapted to move through the flesh of the fruit beginning at the cut face of the half fruit, means for actuating the cutting means and means for adjusting the distance from the inner wall portion of the fruit entering position of the cutting means where the cutting means cuts into the cut face of the half fruit.

36. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, a fruit holder having inner wall portions engaging the curved surface of a half fruit for holding it with its cut face exposed, cutting means adapted to move through the flesh of the fruit beginning at the cut face of the half fruit, means for actuating the cutting means and means for adjusting the depth of the cut taken by the cutting means relative to the bottom of the fruit holder.

3'7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, a fruit holder having inner wall portions engaging the curved surface of a half fruit for holding it with its cut face exposed, cutting means adapted to move through the flesh of the fruit beginning at the cut face of the half fruit, means for actuating the cutting 

